Question for those with friends/family overseas - esp. Europe

[Momit]

What are some "American" things they want you to send or bring to them?

We have a really nice 18 year old babysitter here (Germany) and I'd like to ask my family to bring something we can give her for Christmas. I was thinking some type of clothing but I'm not sure what would be good.

I hardly know what's "in" with American teenagers, much less European ones. Thanks!

[BigDog]

This probably doesn't help you much, but we have family in Italy and they always want us to send or bring "American" coffee (not espresso which is what they usually drink). Also, they go gung-ho over jeans, especially Levis. Go figure!

[american_mama]

What a coincidence - just mentioned Aachen to my husband not 20 minutes ago. We used to live an hour from there in Belgium. We loved the Christmas market! DH was asking me about future dreams of a sabbatical in Ulingen, and I talked German to myself for the whole ride home.

I have no idea of hip teenage things. Is she in a military family? If so, she might have access to a lot of stuff through the PX already. There are some funny Tshirts with cute sayings on them: not sure if those are for girl and boy tweens, though, or if 18 year old like them too. Is she going to college in the US? Maybe a college sweatshirt, Tshirt, possibly a poster of campus. I would think cell phone items would be popular, but maybe just as available or more in Europe. Technology is almost certainly cheaper here - maybe some kind of music player that is a bit too expensive there? Any popular teen books (maybe the Twilight series?) that are released here before there (don't know if there is a difference in release dates).

I missed food items (and kid items, but that's not relevant to you) when I was there. Stuff like peanut butter, chocolate chips, Kraft macaroni and cheese, salad dressing, breakfast cereal.

What brought you to Aachen?

ETA: I just re-read your post and I was assuming your babysitter was American, but maybe she is European. What an Americna would miss from home and what a German would want from the US are two slightly different things.

[n2ou]

How about some true American favorites?

Oreos
Cinnamon gum
Peanut Butter
Dr. Pepper
Rootbeer

I remember those being hits when I was a German teenager (long, long time ago - lol)

[TwinFoxes]

Things are so globalized now I think she'd be able to get most things. I bet what she'd like would be a memento of your town. Maybe a cool t-shirt? If you have a college or university nearby I bet she'd especially like a tee or hoodie from there.

[schums]

My dad used to work with a lot of Germans, and would always take over stuff for them and their families. They ALWAYS asked for Levis. Always. I think they are super $$$$ to buy in Europe. Lots of them asked for sweatshirts with state/university names. So there are a bunch of people in Germany running around with Michigan shirts now. Another thing was costumes. I'm not sure if they celebrate Halloween like we do, or if it was for another holiday, but a couple times my dad took over Halloween costumes for the teen/preteen kids.

ETA: My dad also said that the Germans he worked with always bough vitamins and OTC meds (like aspirin) to take back too. If you know her family, that might be a nice thing to offer for them, if they're interested.

[infomama]

Our family from Sweden always buy jeans when they visit.

[lfp2n]

My teenage nieces want clothes from Abercrombie and Fitch, its still new enough in Europe that its really in and with the american receipt they will honor exchanges if the size or style is wrong. They also like all those crazy american cosmetic brands that are harder to come by here.

[Momit]

All great ideas, thanks!

And can I just say that I am DYING for an Oreo now!

[hillview]

Also a lot of electronics are much less $ in the US vs in Eurpoe. Folks in our company come over and buy Apple iPods etc.
/hillary

[misshollygolightly]

Looks like you've already got some great suggestions! I just wanted to echo the university shirt/hoodie/ball cap idea. Those seem to be a huge hit everywhere I've been or mailed them! Kraft mac n cheese, Velveeta, Oreos, Reese's Cups, and Chips Ahoy are also big hits. My parents are Texans by birth but live overseas now--they always ask for taco seasoning packets, taco kits, corn tortillas, and salsa.

[MamaKath]

My cousins and other family/friends in Germany usually ask for jeans (Levis are a very popular request), university items, occasionally they will ask for sports clothing and even have asked for Timbuk2 bags in the last couple years.

[kozachka]

Things I've been asked to bring from US when travelling to Europe:

- Levi's jeans, they are at least 2x more in Europe than in US;
- sneakers;
- chewing gum that is not widely available in Europe;
- Reeses candy
- electronics (Apple accessories and iPods, Canon camera, Bose noise cancelling headphones)
- Baby clothes and shoes (GAP, Tommy, Right Start)
- cosmetics (Kiehls, Weleda, Clinique, Estee Lauder etc)

My friends paid for the purchases, except candy/chewing gum, of course, so I did not have a price range. Also, a femaly friend of mine likes Abercombie and Fitch and Armani Exchange when she was younger.

[cairo06]

My teenage nieces want clothes from Abercrombie and Fitch, its still new enough in Europe that its really in and with the american receipt they will honor exchanges if the size or style is wrong. They also like all those crazy american cosmetic brands that are harder to come by here.

:yeahthat: I think you can't go wrong with those suggestions. You know you can buy Oreo's at REAL Supermarket, right? You can find them in the regular cookie aisle, not just in the American section. They even have the chocolate covered ones.

[Momit]

:yeahthat: I think you can't go wrong with those suggestions. You know you can buy Oreo's at REAL Supermarket, right? You can find them in the regular cookie aisle, not just in the American section. They even have the chocolate covered ones.

Really?! I did see a few packages of the chocolate covered ones in our local store once, but never the regular original kind. I will keep searching! Thanks!

[cairo06]

Occasionally I have found them at Strauss -this store is usually in the pedestrian areas and has clothes, homewares and for some reason sometimes Oreos and last year I found candy canes there. FYI, This year I saw candy canes at Tedi (one of those dollar type stores).

[plusbellelavie]

You got great suggestions already but I wanted to add that Nintendos and their games are a big hit here in France and are cheaper in the States by far so even if she has a "European" Nintendo the games from the US work.

Music CDs etc are big hit here and less expensive to buy in the US.

If they have DVD that reads all zones they love American TV series current and old ones!

The teenagers we know love clothes T-shirts, sweats, etc with NYC, LA, or Nike printed on it. Funny English sayings are also popular.

Again any hip electronic like Ipods etc are cheaper in the States and loved by the teenagers here.

Jean jackets are a big here especially if they come from Levis.

Converse tennis shoes are popular here but are extremely expensive!

And they enjoy looking at teenage magazines even in English

Hope it helps...fortunately I have been able to find Oreo cookies here in France at Carrefour but they are expensive but my kids miss Peanut Butter Cups. And whenever we have people visit they bring us a big jar of Peanut Butter even though we can find PB in the International Aisle it is expensive and doesn't taste the same as in the US.

My kids also miss Philadelphia Cream Cheese which you can find in Germany but not in France and real American doughnuts :D

[Momit]

What brought you to Aachen?

ETA: I just re-read your post and I was assuming your babysitter was American, but maybe she is European. What an Americna would miss from home and what a German would want from the US are two slightly different things.

We moved here for my husband's job (not military, he works for a company that has an office here). Our babysitter is a German girl. She has never been to the US but speaks pretty good English just from what she learned in school.

We are looking forward to the Christmas markets!

[mommylamb]

Just be careful with electronics because the plugs/watts are different in different countries.

[catsnkid]

My FIL lives in the Phillipines. They love cotton sheets- for some reason most of everything sold there is a mix. My eight year old BIL went crazy for star wars figurines sold at toys r us, apparently they aren't available there.

[sansdieu]

I second the idea of brand-name sports clothing and accessories (hoodies, vests, wallets, and such from Timberland, Columbia, North Face, etc.) and Clinique. Those were items specifically requested by my friends/ family, time after time.

Food items that I've had requested in the past:

pecans and pecan pies (very rare in Europe)
Cranberry juice for some reason (also hard to find, even in big cities, such as Vienna).

Surprisingly, electronics were pretty low on the list of sought-after items.